Toshiba Portégé R700 hands-on [Video]

Toshiba has unveiled their latest ultraportable, the Toshiba Portégé R700, and while it may look like your average thin-and-light in some key ways it's actually pretty unique. The 13.3-inch R700 - which will also go on sale as the consumer-focussed Satellite R630 - uses a new airflow cooling system that, by pulling in cool air over the hotter components, rather than pushing out hot air, means Toshiba can not only use regular Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors rather than their less-powerful ULV counterparts, but do so in a machine that stays cool to the touch.

First impressions & hands-on video after the cut

It's also the thinnest and lightest ODD-equipped laptop in Europe, with a magnesium chassis, honeycomb palm-rest and a motherboard that, thanks to collaboration with Intel, is one-third the size of what you'd find in rival machines. 16.8mm thick at its narrowest point, it nonetheless fits in an optical drive and a battery good for up to nine hours with the 6-cell pack.

Toshiba Portégé R700 promo:

Connectivity includes WiFi a/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, optional 3G/WWAN and gigabit ethernet, along with three USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA/USB combo, VGA and HDMI outputs. Meanwhile there's an optional dock with USB 3.0 and HDMI (though only for the Portégé, not the Satellite variant). Storage is either up to 320GB of regular HDD or 128GB of SSD, while RAM is up to 4GB of DDR3 memory.

We grabbed some hands-on time with the R700, and the biggest surprise is ultraportable's weight. At 1.3kg it's light enough to hold, at the corner, in one hand, though we didn't notice any flexing or bending of either the chassis or the keyboard. That keyboard, meanwhile, uses "chiclet" aluminum keys which feel great under the fingers, though there was a little bounce in the action to the pre-production model we were looking at. Despite having been powered up for some time, there was no noticeable heat from the notebook either across the keyboard or the underside; it was also close to silent, leagues away from the noisy fan of a regular ultraportable.

The Toshiba Portégé R700 will go on sale in July 2010, followed by the Toshiba Satellite R630 version in August. Pricing TBA.

London, UK, 21st June 2010 – Toshiba UK today marks the company’s 25th anniversary of laptop manufacturing with the launch of its most advanced ultra-mobile laptop yet, the outstanding Portégé R700. Combining innovative technologies with an ultra-slim and highly robust chassis, the 33.8cm (13.3”) Portégé R700 is the thinnest and lightest full-function1 laptop in Europe, providing uncompromised mobile computing for business users. In addition, Toshiba today also announces the Satellite R630, offering the same premium design, tailored for consumer use.

Designed for those who demand power, portability and durability from one machine, the Portégé R700 is the product of unique Toshiba engineering expertise. The laptop is able to accommodate the latest full performance processing technology as a result of a unique new Airflow Cooling Technology, while a magnesium chassis incorporates a new honeycomb structure around the palm-rests, providing robust protection of the internal components. With an exceptional battery life of up to nine hours2, the Portégé R700 and Satellite R630 provide a full day’s power from a single charge.

Groundbreaking technologies
Measuring just 16.8mm at its thinnest point and weighing just 1.3kg in its lightest configuration, the Portégé R700’s unparalleled blend of high-performance features, mobility and durability makes it perfect for business users.

Airflow Cooling Technology, co-developed by Intel® and Toshiba, allows Toshiba to integrate the latest Intel® Core family processors in the Portégé R700's slim casing while keeping the noise of the fan to a minimum. Not only does the system reduce laptop temperature by efficiently channelling heat, it also creates additional space internally.

A new magnesium alloy chassis also contributes to the Portégé R700’s mobile performance, ably resisting the rigours of mobile use. A new, innovative internal honeycomb structure around the palm-rests ensures the laptop is highly durable against flexing – protecting components against potential damage and considerably prolonging the life of the product.
Travel light, work easily

A combination of Intel processing technology and up to 4GB of integrated memory provides enough power to run the most demanding multimedia programmes, and up to nine hours of battery life allows users to work all day without the need to recharge. The model also features an elegant black magnesium-alloy cover with a matt finish, and the option of an integrated DVD SuperMulti drive for greater multimedia freedom.

The Portégé R700’s 33.8cm (13.3”) display features Toshiba TruBrite technology and LED backlighting, which combine to ensure that the finest detail is clear and vividly displayed. The option of either an integrated solid state drive (SSD) or hard disk drive (HDD) also features an integrated 3D impact sensor, which provides advanced protection of the internal storage. Sensitive to sharp and sudden movements, the impact sensor protects the HDD platters against the knocks, bumps and drops3 common with mobile use, ensuring sensitive data remains safe at all times.

Integrated docking allows business users to un-dock and re-connect to a number of peripherals via optional docking hardware, and a biometric fingerprint reader provides a personal way to access profiles without having to remember a password. A series of connectivity interfaces also includes 2x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA/USB combi port, VGA and Gigabit LAN. A HDMI port also allows users to connect to a range of different HD ready screens and projectors with no loss of detail.

Satellite R630
As well as the Portégé R700, Toshiba today unveils the Satellite R630. Offering the same portability, power and mobile durability as the Portégé R700, the Satellite R630 offers outstanding performance for personal users. The Satellite R630 allows personal users to enjoy unparalleled mobile performance, featuring the power to run the most challenging multimedia applications on the move, and with ease.

The new Toshiba Portégé R700 will be available from July and the Satellite R630 will be available from August 2010.